Will Work to Live in London

   I realize that my reason for being in London might be a little unclear up to this point. I may have given the impression that it is all fun and games and I am simply enjoying fun trips along the city with know other motivation but to see great things and think deep thoughts. Well...I am doing both of those things, but the trip is founded on the basis of a British Media class I took (or rather, slipped into) last semester at OCU. So, with the class in mind, visiting different media venues has been one of the prime objectives of this trip, as well as having a good bit of fun.
   I also must add that this whole paragraph has been conveyed, in my head, with a British accent. 
  First, our media trips took us to the BBC headquarters. Last week we headed to a different avenue of media: advertising and PR. 
   Out first firm took us to a hip, white brick office building, complete with a hip, model-esque receptionist, who politely ushered us in to a haven of creativity. We were offered drinks with essence of orange, and chips that looked familiar, yet tasted unfamiliar, and listened intently to the employees of SAS advertising. They talked about how they are an agency that advertises companies--that is, they do not advertise consumer products, but a competitive work place, or a good investment. Also, we find out that this company plays in the big leagues--they have Coca-cola as one of their clients. It was extremely informative, and our tour of the work space made me wish that I had a cool Mac with obscure artists playing soulful, indie music, while casually sketching out the design model for a new campaign I just thought up for Dr. Pepper.
   The other agency we went to was also an elite firm, but something I could relate to even better! Wagner Edstrom is their name, and they are in the business of represented medical and technological companies, such as Microsoft...for 25 years. They were friendly and gave us coke and doughnuts! (They really know Americans, right?) The employees involved in the tour all introduced themselves and went around explaining what exactly they did in the company. One girl's job really fascinated me. She did a lot of international public relations for the various companies they represent, so that places (like America) wouldn't offend countries by saying or doing something that is culturally taboo. Now, I want that job!
   I learned so much about media, and not just British media, but what a media workplace really looks like. Granted, those were big league places that I probably couldn't touch for another decade, but then again...
   To top of this tour day, we went into Leicester Square to the Comedy Store, and roared with laughter for two and a half hours, all the while getting laughed at ourselves, because--being Americans in a foreign country--there are so many things they can laugh at us for.

   and because I want to get close to finishing last week, let me just jumble through Thursday and Friday (Wednesday was Oxford).
   Thursday began with a media tour of Radio Jackie (see movie Pirate Radio for full story of this station), took our group back to London for a short jaunt in Hyde Park, and then the greatest thing that has ever happened to me: tea time. We took tea in the Grosvenor hotel, and proceeded to be spoiled with little sandwiches, fresh scones, pastries, and our own personalized tea pots--as much as we wanted of anything. Delightful. After that, we took a quick trip to Abbey Road, annoyed various motorist, and called it a day.

    Friday=class, shopping in Kingston, HARRY POTTER. The first was necessary, the second a nice way to spend the afternoon, the third...I won't even begin.